Barn

own at the

atly stacked hundred-dollar b

a house. It was enough mo

enough to bu

wasn't enough to

this fixes

s the heavy, suffocating

d like a man trying to defus

Jayme. It gives you a lif

ssfire because you put

d up to

ce. He had given it to me when I was eighteen. He had fas

y skin, it fel

laspe

ugh my fingers like

it out

it," I

silver star in my

e, do

larreal. Or I dro

formal address as i

klace. His fingers brushed mine. His s

rangers no

way from the villa, leaving

o back to

winding path to the old t

at night, it was deserted.

I was nineteen. Before the

he city lights. Years ago, Autry had car

was just a symbol of somet

ast time. I needed to se

and along the rough timber, searc

ng for

was high

fr

shadows of a cypress tree. S

the darkness and la

ng right next to where

art. Crude

art were the

he ol

. It was just a smooth,

id, smiling. "He told me about this place

ke a porcelain doll that had been d

nging for scraps of a man who

ion dollars to leave,"

tered for a second

"He's paying you to take

ed her l

a grape glittered in

"We're setting the date for June. It's

inside m

It was the sound of a

n't t

orward and

ection. My palm stu

back, dropping the flashlight. It rolled on the

ch!" she

the rose gar

ay

ce roared f

follo

e saw Cassie holding her cheek. He saw

owing herself at Autry. "She's

e wide with shock. He had never

warned, hi

loose piece of wood where the old kn

ped i

racking sound in

e piece o

it down," I

rotting,

about us i

the wood

ac

his feet. They landed

d. "I owe you nothing. Not si

ed pas

ached fo

uch me,"

fro

aving the Don and his futu